Litharge (PbO) | Varun Enterprises
Premium Grade Product

Litharge
PbO

Lead Monoxide — Industrial Grade

Manufactured from pure lead of minimum 99.97% purity. Available in yellow (α-PbO) and orange-red (β-PbO) forms, with exceptional solubility in acids and alkalis, trusted across glass, rubber, paint, and chemical industries worldwide.

Product Snapshot
99.97% Lead Purity
99.5% PbO Content
α & β Two Forms
25 Kg Pack Size
🔬 Glass 🛞 Rubber 🎨 Pigments ⚗️ Chemicals

What is Litharge?

A versatile lead monoxide compound with broad industrial utility, available in two distinct crystalline forms for different application requirements.

Litharge, chemically known as Lead Monoxide (PbO), is a high-purity compound prepared from lead of minimum 99.97% purity. It is produced in two crystalline forms — the yellow tetragonal alpha form (α-PbO) and the orange-red orthorhombic beta form (β-PbO) — each suited to different industrial applications.

Unlike Red Lead, Litharge is soluble in acids and alkalis, making it a vital raw material in formulations requiring chemical reactivity. Its high density and excellent optical clarity when melted make it indispensable in optical and crystal glass production.

Litharge is widely used in the manufacture of lead-acid battery pastes, rubber vulcanisation, paint and varnish driers, ceramic glazes, and optical glass — making it one of the most broadly applied lead compounds in modern industry.

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Alpha (α-PbO) — Yellow

Tetragonal crystal form. Preferred for glass, ceramics and paint drier applications.

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Beta (β-PbO) — Orange Red

Orthorhombic crystal form. Preferred for battery paste and rubber industry use.

Quality Assurance: Every batch of Litharge is examined by our in-house chemist to confirm it meets the desired specification before dispatch. Our Barton pot plant and controlled oxidation process ensure consistent PbO content with minimal trace contamination.

1

Raw Lead Sourcing

Pure lead of minimum 99.97% purity is sourced, verified, and logged before entering the production line.

2

Barton Pot Processing

Molten lead is oxidised in our Barton pot plant, producing fine leady oxide particles with controlled free lead content.

3

Controlled Oxidation Furnace

Material is passed through a rotary or muffle furnace under controlled temperature to achieve desired PbO content and crystal phase.

4

Dust Control & Classification

Cyclone separators, Dust Collection Bags, and Pulverisers ensure fine, uniform particle size distribution throughout each batch.

5

Quality Inspection & Dispatch

Each finished batch is examined by our in-house chemist against specification before packing in sealed 25 Kg HDPE bags for dispatch.

Litharge Specifications

All parameters are verified batch-by-batch by our in-house quality control team.

Attribute Specification
Chemical Name Lead Monoxide
Molecular Formula PbO
Appearance (α form) Yellow Powder
Appearance (β form) Orange-Red Powder
PbO Content (%) ≥ 99.5%
Free Lead (%) ≤ 0.03%
Apparent Density (gm/cc) 1.5 – 1.8
Acid Absorption (mg/gm) 110 – 140
Water Absorption (mg/gm) 70 – 100
Sn, Sb, Cu, Fe, As, Te, Mn < 0.001%
Bismuth (Bi) < 0.02%
Silver (Ag) < 0.003%

Packaging Details

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25 Kg

HDPE Bag Packing
Sealed & labelled for safe transport

Available Grades

Alpha (α-PbO) Yellow Form
Beta (β-PbO) Orange-Red Form

Purity Metrics

Lead Purity99.97%
PbO Content≥ 99.5%
Free Lead≤ 0.03%

Need Custom Specs?

Our technical team can work with your specific requirements for grade, particle size or purity.

Talk to an Expert

Industrial Uses of Litharge

Trusted by manufacturers across six major industries for its exceptional reactivity and physical properties.

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Optical & Crystal Glass

Adds brilliance, high refractive index and clarity to optical lenses, crystal ware, and specialty glass formulations.

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Lead Acid Batteries

Used in battery plate paste formulations as a key active material, improving charge capacity and electrode performance.

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Rubber Vulcanisation

Acts as an accelerator and activator in rubber compounding, enhancing mechanical strength and heat resistance.

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Paint Driers & Pigments

Widely used as a metallic drier in oil-based paints and varnishes to accelerate oxidative drying and film formation.

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Ceramics & Glazing

Incorporated into ceramic frits and glazes to lower firing temperatures and improve gloss and surface hardness.

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Chemical Industry

Used as a raw material in the synthesis of lead salts such as lead acetate, lead nitrate, and lead stearate.

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PVC Stabilisers

A precursor in the manufacture of lead-based PVC stabilisers that improve thermal stability during processing.

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Petroleum Refining

Used as a reagent in certain petroleum sweetening and sulphur detection processes in refinery operations.

Litharge vs Red Lead

Understand the key differences between our two flagship lead oxide products to choose the right one for your application.

Parameter Litharge (PbO) Red Lead (Pb₃O₄)
Chemical Formula PbO Pb₃O₄
Colour Yellow / Orange-Red Orange-Red
Oxidation State Pb²⁺ Pb²⁺ / Pb⁴⁺ mixed
Solubility (Acids) ✅ Soluble ⚠️ Partly soluble
Primary Use Glass, Rubber, Paints Anti-corrosive primer
PbO Content ≥ 99.5% PbO₂: 25–33%
Available Forms Alpha (α) & Beta (β) Single form

Built on Quality.
Trusted Since 2000.

Over two decades of manufacturing excellence, scientific rigor and industrial expertise.

01

Barton Pot Technology

Our advanced Barton pot plant enables controlled oxidation of molten lead, producing fine uniform Litharge particles with consistent PbO content.

02

Dual Form Capability

We produce both alpha (yellow) and beta (orange-red) forms of Litharge to precisely match the requirements of your application.

03

Batch-Level QC

Every finished batch is personally examined by our in-house chemist against rigorous specification before it leaves our facility.

04

99.97% Pure Lead Feed

Beginning with only the highest purity lead results in a finished product with ultra-low trace metal contamination across all batches.

05

Uniform Particle Size

Integrated Cyclone, Dust Collection and Pulveriser systems guarantee consistent particle uniformity across every batch we produce.

06

Indore-Based, Pan-India Supply

Located in Indore's industrial sector, we serve clients nationally with reliable dispatch timelines and safe, secure packaging.

Need an Industrial Solution? We Are Available for You.